The N1MU Icom HT Museum

With a focus on the IC-2A, IC-2AT, IC-3AT, IC-03AT and
IC-4AT models

You may wonder what would possess someone to curate a
museum of IcomHTs.I wonder the same thing, but here it is and
here you are reading this.I’ve acquired
several Icom IC-2As, IC-2ATs, IC-3ATs, IC-03ATs,
and IC-4ATs.Other models may be
considered in the future.What’s the
allure?Maybe it’s that unique sound they make when you turn them on.

4/20/2016 – KJ4XM IC-2AT “Unit 11” Acquisition from Craig Cecil.

Craig graciously contacted me to offer this transceiver
for the museum.This is SN 85373 and
Craig also provided 4 battery packs, a battery eliminator, a microphone, and
3 aftermarket antennas all neatly packed in his go kit.Craig gave me some memories with this radio
which I quote below.

While I had done a
lot of shortwave listening, this Icom 2AT was my
first amateur radio transmitter. Until I got base and mobile 2 meter rigs
several years later, this handy talkie served as both my base and my mobile
unit. I had a magnetic mount antenna on my car as well as a hand held
microphone. I remember talking with fellow hams on the drive to and from work
each day in middle Tennessee.

I was also a member
of ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) back in those days and was very
active in storm spotting. I put together a quick “Go” kit in the cardboard
carrying case that I sent these items to you in. It had all the various
antennas, AC/DC adapters, battery packs, etc. that I might need. If anything
happened, I could just grab it and go. You never knew when a severe weather
outbreak would occur or when a hiker might get lost. I remember many evenings
spent checking into the weekly emergency net test.

I can remember how
cool it was to be able to bring up the auto-patch and make a phone call from
handy talkie! That was back before car phones and cell phones. Technology
sure has come a long way!!!

It sure has, Craig!

3/20/2013 - KA6YGI IC-03AT “Unit 10” Acquisition from Steven Andres.

This very clean unit, SN 04754, belonged to the late
Cristina Andres of Arcadia California.Manuel and Cristina Andres are shown below.Their son Steven contacted me to offer the
HT for inclusion in the museum.Please
read the news article Steven shared with
me about his parents.It is very
heartwarming and should inspire one and all to act in kind when the need
arises.

10/7/2010 – QST IC-2AT Review

MUSEUM HOLDINGS

IC-2A, IC-2AT

Here they are, Units 1 to 4 from left to right.

Unit 1 – SN ?

This unit is an IC-2AT, but with a later style touch
pad.I acquired it on eBay.It came with a dead BP-3 for which I have
ordered a replacement NiCd insert from W&W.I’m swapping this original Icom battery
pack with the OEM battery pack from Unit 3 because Unit 3 will be the “museum
piece” of the group.Unit 1 also has a
Communication SpecialistsSS-32SMP PL tone encoder board inside.It came set to 94.8 Hz, but I changed it to
110.9 Hz.This unit is in good working
order and will be my everyday work horse.

Unit 4 – SN 51823

This unit is an IC-2AT, a gift of Rich Place, WB2JLR.It came with another dead BP-3 battery
pack.The touch pad on this unit is
original, unlike Unit 1.This one will
be a loaner for any new Hams I know that need a rig before they get their
own.

Unit 2 – SN 03347

This unit is an IC-2A.I also acquired it on eBay.It
came with two BP-3 NiCad packs and a DC-1 Battery Pack Eliminator to allow
plugging the unit into 12 VDC directly.Both battery packs were dead and physically damaged.One looks like someone exceeded the voltage
limit or reversed the polarity when they connected it because the
electrolytic cap inside the pack has exploded and melted the plastic of the
case.I combined the good pieces from
these two BP-3 packs to form a new one in good shape.I need to order another BP-3 insert.This unit is in good working order.It will be a loaner for any new Hams I know
who need to borrow a radio before they get one of their own.

Unit 3 – SN 14965

This unit is an IC-2A, SN 14965, and it’s in almost mint
condition.It will be the “museum
piece” of the group, in other words, it will be like the classic sports car
that only comes out in the best weather for show.It still has the plastic faceplate
protector sheets over both switch plates and the serial number plate.I acquired this unit on eBay as well.It came with an external PTT switch, a
BC-30 charger base, the manual, a Yuntong OEM battery pack, and the original
wall adapter.This unit is in terrific
cosmetic shape and is in good working order.In the manual I found the original purchase receipt from Electronic
Equipment Bank in Vienna, VA from 9-4-82.That’s the year I started high school.The original owner of this unit appears to have been Elizabeth
Zandonini, W3CDQ, although the person I bought it from said that Margaret
Mollat, WA3IWK, was the previous owner.I am swapping the OEM battery pack with the re-celled original Icom
pack from Unit 1 since it’s in such good shape.

Unit 8 – SN 12482

This unit is an IC-2AT, a gift of Jeff Ach, W2FU.It came with another dead battery pack.Sorry, no photos yet.

IC-3AT, IC-03AT

Unit 7 – SN 05705

I purchased this unit on eBay.It is in nice condition except for some
pronounced scratches on the front and sides.The case has a newer appearance otherwise.

Unit 9 – SN 10272

This is an IC-03AT I purchased on eBay for WAY too
much.It looks and works great.

IC-4ATs

Unit 5 – SN 07008

This Unit is in good shape and works well.It’s modeled here by Griffin (no call
yet).I obtained this IC-4AT at the
Rochester Hamfest from a guy who had four or five of them for sale.This was the best one.It still has the plastic on the metal label
plates.

Unit 6 – SN 04300

This one is fancy, but has a DEAD TRANSMITTER.I got it at the Rochester Hamfest from a
ham who said he was from Ottawa, Canada.I’m pretty sure he knew it was busted, but he didn’t say so.What a crook.Maybe I can repair it.It has a very nicely installed DIP switch for setting
the PL tone.

Here is a table of the switch settings for the PL tones
that can be set.

67.0

11111

118.8

11110

71.9

01111

123.0

01110

74.4

10111

127.3

10110

77.0

00111

131.8

00110

79.7

11011

136.5

11010

82.5

01011

141.3

01010

85.4

10011

146.2

10010

88.5

00011

151.4

00010

91.5

11101

156.7

11100

94.8

01101

162.2

01100

97.4

10101

167.9

10100

100.0

00101

173.8

00100

103.5

11001

179.9

11000

107.2

01001

186.2

01000

110.9

10001

192.8

10000

114.8

00001

203.5

00000

Restoration

To restore these units, I wiped them with Clorox wipes and
used a toothbrush to remove grit.As
mentioned above, inserts for dead battery packs can be obtained from W&W.Here is a photo of a refitted BP-3.To remain true to the original design, this
pack got a NiCd insert, not an NiMH insert.It should last several years with proper care.For other dead packs, I will most likely
use NiMH inserts.

Other Topics

Icom
Japan has almost any manual you could think of on their support page.